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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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ajstew
Joined: 04 Feb 2004
Location: Korea
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 Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 5:32 pm Post subject: teachers |
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| michpottier wrote: |
| I currently work at Korea University, and while it is true that many universities want a MA, it is not always the rule. There are currently a few instructors here without MAs, but with good experience and attitudes. While there are specific times when universities hire, they generally hire all year round. We have people coming and going all the time. The best recommendation I can make is just apply, apply, apply. They may say they want an MA, and years of experience, but when it comes right down to it, if they need someone (especially quickly), they will consider all applicants. Also, just a side note, it amazes me the type of graduate degrees they will accept. We currently have a person with a Masters in ancient ceramics!? |
Yeah, and get this, we have teachers with Masters degrees in English literature at my university teaching English conversation. Another perfect example which shows that universities will accept anything. |
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Hotpants
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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| You also need CONNECTIONS - a lot of unis hire people recommended by current staff. This can often compensate for lack of quals/experience. |
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TECO
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 11:44 pm Post subject: Re: teachers |
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| ajstew wrote: |
| Yeah, and get this, we have teachers with Masters degrees in English literature at my university teaching English conversation. Another perfect example which shows that universities will accept anything. |
It's always been like this. Even the local professors mainly had Ph.D degrees in English Literature but taught TESOL / EFL. It's almost like they weren't aware that Applied Linguistics / TESOL is a separate field from Literature. It's slowly changing, but very few local profs held Doctorates in language learning and teaching in the universities where I've worked. |
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Bruce W Sims
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Illinois; USA
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| Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 4:13 am Post subject: |
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| Hotpants wrote: |
| You also need CONNECTIONS - a lot of unis hire people recommended by current staff. This can often compensate for lack of quals/experience. |
And in all possible honesty, I think this is the key bit that keeps getting skirted over.
What I have noticed in my own search for a teaching position is that common wisdom holds that there are teaching positions everywhere and multiple openings at that. I agree that there are many, many people who state this repeatedly and routinely. I see it over and over again in the job listings here on this forum alone. What I think is actually happening is the same sort of inflated claims that employment agencies here in the States made for years until the government stepped-in and started asking them to demonstrate their actual opportunities. Almost over-night these claims to have "many great jobs" began disappearing.
I can also report that--- at least here in the Chicago area--- it has been common policy to keep a ratio of four applications on file for each actual position that a school has as a sort of reserve in case a teacher is lost, quits or a strike ensues.
So what does this have to do with "connections". Well, the fact is that is how most jobs are filled. A working employee knows of a vacancy and recommends a family member or friend. The hiring agency looks at the nature of the employee, decides they like HIS work record and trust that the family member or friend will be the same. The fact is that Hiring and Firing is, itself, big business as we can tell just looking around this forum. In order not to get caught-up in the maelstrom of empty and broken promises, blind leads and dead-ends having connections is requisite.
Sometime back a Stateside UNversity did research with a dart board and a list of stocks. The conclusion was that a person could be just as successful---sometimes even more successful--- just throwing darts as in doing all the number crunching. Without connections I think the same holds true here. FWIW.
Best Wishes,
Bruce |
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